The Rumour of Truth
by Khaz-Calowiel
Summary: A CATS-THE MUSICAL fanfic about Etcetera being captured and made pregnant by Macavity. this story follows her strife *DISCLOSURE 09- I DON'T OWN CATS OR ANY OF THE ENCLOSED CHARACTERS, SONGS OR PLACES. I own Duendei, and Artemis belongs to AriaCloudrunner
1. Captured

**Once again I felt it time to return and slowly edit this story.**

**I was pleased this time to find that I was not repulsed by my writing- merely aware of grammar and coherence mistakes throughout the chapter.**

**So I'll try to fix them, but I ask you, dear readers, to please assist me with your creative criticism!**

**-Khaz.**

_**Cats the Musical is the property of T.S. Elliot and Andrew Lloyd Webber and I am a mere artistic fan.**_

* * *

Etcetera huddled in on herself, shaking and alone.

She was cold, hurt and scared.

She had only been minutes away from her home when she had been taken; swiftly knocked unconscious by an unseen attacker.

She now did not know how far she had been taken or even in what direction; All she knew was that the moments since were the worst she had ever experienced. She would never rid herself of the scarring memory of the things _he _had done to her.

Etcetra was lethargic, and in pain and weak with hunger, though she had no appetite and parched but had had no will to drink. And she knew her survival was only assured until _he_ was finished with her.

Her surroundings were mostly silent; only an ominous dripping and an occasional far off rattle or clunk. Any of these small noises echoed within the cold, slimy iron walls. Etcetera was constantly alert, trying to pick out any sound which could mean _his _return.

There was very little room to stretch out and Etcetera's limbs had long cramped up. But the pain was far more bearable than the thought of stretching out which would expose herself to him_. _

He space was almost entirely dark and the only light was filtering in through a grate in the wall that was partially covered by a rag that cast eerie shadows on the wall in the breeze. The light was cold and artificial- obviously from a street lamp above. There was a mouldy smell around her, tinged with dirt and copper and the air was thick and hard to breathe, as it was heavy with water.

Etcetera dropped her head back to the flood and whimpered to herself at her predicament.

Escape was impossible, when she didn't know where she was… or where hewas.

Rescue was her only hope of survival. And without rescue, survival was her last preference.

But the was a problem with relying on rescue, was that no-one back at the tribe would even know she was gone until tomorrow.

And by then it may be too late.

No one to know she was missing, alone and fighting for her life. No-one but herself; and her captor- The terrifying, arcane, salacious; Macavity.


	2. Rescue

Etcetera had fallen asleep. Whether by fear, exhaustion or lack of oxygen, she did not know. She sat up, brushing damp mud off her gold and white fur. Straightening her whiskers, she wiped away the tear stains from around her brown eyes. Her furry, black ears swiveled as she listened for a sound, and she stroked her striped forearms for comfort. She pulled her gold and black striped tail in close, keeping it away from the puddle of sludge by her once white feet.  
It was then, as her fears depicted, that a sound reached her- the awful screech of broken claws on wet, rusty metal.  
Fear grabbed her belly, and she wept as the sound grew perilously close.  
The sound cut off into an impossible silence. The theatrical effect of Macavity's evil was, whilst somewhat predictable, still only a shadow of the cat beneath. She desperately shuffled herself as far into the corner as she could go.

There was the rustle of wind, and the beam of moonlight that flooded her prison was gone, throwing the room into complete darkness. Etcetera breathed hard, as her pupils narrowed to their feline slits to adjust.  
As she stared before her, her vision adjusting a form slid into her focus. The ginger fur that stuck out of the black and white leg beneath was coated with months of grime. The moonlight lit Macavity from above, hooding his already terrifying face in shadow. So when the Mystery Cat grinned, maliciously, his gleaming off-white teeth were all that could be seen, and the dim, yellow glow of his possessed eyes.

Etcetera blinked, and Macavity was gone. Paranoid, she hugged her knees, eyes flicking this way and tat to catch another dreaded glimpse of ginger. Noises echoed about the sewer, footsteps; collisions of claws to metal. She knew these sounds were meant to throw her off but still she jumped, vainly trying to locate whereabouts Macavity might attack from.  
She waited, expecting him from everywhere and anywhere. It took her a moment too long to notice the ginger arm that had slid in front of her chest and the dark shape that hung upside down in beside her. It was only when the hot breath enveloped her ear that she turned and came face to face with the 'Hidden Paw'.

Having him so close once more, she lost composure and screamed. In order to silence her, he struck her across the face, claws fully extended. Her scream cut off with a choked gasp. When Etcetera recovered and opened her damaged eye, he was once again, gone. Disappearing with his magic like always.  
But what Etcetera did not know, was that it was not purely agitation that made Macavity silence her, but due to the beautiful white cat that searched for Etcetera only meters away from the drain. Macavity had planned it well. The white cat would come to save Etcetera and then Macavity would have two queens in his company.

"Cetty? Is that you?" Victoria's dainty white face appeared at the drain.

"Yes, Yes! Oh how did you find me?" Etcetera rushed to the opening, sobbing and grabbing the outstretched fingers of her friend.

"We've been looking all night! Exotica saw you get taken!" Victoria replied, referring to the Jellicle cat that lived in one of the outermost houses of the junkyard with her human.

"We? Who else is here?" Cetty feared for her friend, being so close to the presence of Macavity alone.

"Munkustrap, Quaxo, Admetus, Alonzo, Tumblebrutus, Electra and Jemima have also come. Munku said we'd need all the help we could get... They're looking on the far side of the block" Victoria listed off half the male cats in the Jellicle tribe, including the current Jellicle leader, Munkustrap. Among the list also, were Cetty and Victoria's best friends- Jemima and Electra.

Cetty's earlier fears broke through.

"Why the _Heaviside_ are you here alone?!!" Cetty screamed at her, losing her former hushed tones to her panic.

"Who says she's alone?" came a voice behind Cetty.

Etcetera spun round with a frightful hiss. In the back of her, Cetty knew the voice, and knew it wasn't Macavity's. She felt a little bit silly as Quaxo melted out of the shadows of the sewer.

"Relax, it's only me." He assured her.

Etcetera darted forward and gave a desperate hug to Quaxo, who caught her and chuckled tensely.

"Now, quick, let's not dawdle! Let's get you out of here! Are you hurt?"Quaxo seemed anxious and nervous.  
Etcetera could have slapped herself on the forehead. Of course he was nervous! They were, after all, in the lair of the cat that _everyone_ feared!  
With a grin, Cetty grasped Quaxo's arm and gratefully let him lead her out of her prison and away from the torment she had been under.  
But the memories would always follow.


	3. Taken

Etcetera had never felt happier to be out in the fresh night air. Quaxo had led her flawlessly through all the twists and turns in the sewer to where the black and white tom-cat had broken in through an old drain. Having travelled far from where Cetty's prison had been, they swiftly backtracked to where Victoria was waiting.

Just when all had begun to feel calm, a scream erupted from the darkness ahead. Quaxo stiffened, and called out, fear and panic lacing his cry-

"_Victoria!_"

To Etcetera's surprise, Quaxo began to lead her back the way they had come. He stopped a way back, and waited, his ears and nose twitching as his eyes darted from the path ahead to where the entrance to the sewer was. As noble of him as it was to put her safety first, Etcetera wanted to shout at him to go and save Victoria. But Quaxo was smarter than that. What chance did he stand against Macavity alone?

She stood, silently, not knowing what to say, sheer panic wearing down on her composure. Eventually, she couldn't bear it anymore.  
"What are we going to do? We need to find Munkustrap!" She shrieked.  
Then, out of the darkness- a friendlier dark than that of the sewer- came another blessedly familiar voice.

"No need, Cetty," The young male voice said "you're gonna have to catch up with him, Quaxo, he's already out looking for Vic!"

With an attemptingly reassuring grin and an affectionate stroke of Cetty's arm, Quaxo took off in the direction that his intuition, and love for Vic lead him- back into the deadly lair of Macavity.  
Meanwhile, Cetty peered into the shadows, and found the young tom- Tumblebrutus- the owner of the voice. Behind him, in the distance, she saw Electra and Jemima running toward them.

She caught their excited cries

"You're safe! You're _safe_!"

Tumblebrutus, being very mature for his age, shushed them. Etcetera thought maybe it was the responsibility of being allowed to join in the search party that was making him act this way. Normally, he was the clown of the group- illustrating his name by flipping and jumping about the place. Etcetera knew, it was because they had need of Brutus's good eyesight and climbing skills that he was brought along, but he still seemed proud enough.

Etcetera had the wind knocked out of her by a crushing hug from Jemima, who was promptly added to by Electra. The two cats squeezed Etcetera tight.

"Oh! Cetty! Artemis _will_ be pleased you're ok!" Jemima teased, referring to her little sister. She, meanwhile, pretended to be indifferent.

"Stuff Arti! _I'm_ glad you're Ok!" Electra seemed to have not yet caught on to the joke.

Jemima nudged her, and looked at her pointedly with her wide blue eyes. Electra paused, her bright red features twisted in concentration and then let out a small "Oh..." as she giggled at her silliness. Jemima was the first to notice the absence of her best friend Vic.  
"Cetty?... Where's Vic?" She seemed scared to ask.  
Electra looked around, also confused.

Cetty looked at her paws, her eyes stinging with fresh tears. Tumblebrutus shifted uncomfortably, and Cetty answered in a quiet, guilty voice;

"Macavity took her...."


	4. Guilt

"Oh Cetty, it's not your fault, you know that." Electra and Jemima had jumped straight into reassurances that Etcetera was not to blame for what happened to Vic. In Etcetera's opinion, they were being far too kind to her. Etcetera couldn't say how, but she knew it was her fault somehow. Or at least, that's how she felt.  
She turned to face her friends, noting, that this was obviously the first time she had properly done so by the look of shock on their faces.

"What happened to your face?!" Jemima was horrified. Etcetera reached up a paw to feel what they were talking about. Her paw met wet, stinging gashes among the fur. Of course! Macavity's scratch.

"Did… Macavity do that?" Electra asked, gently tracing the wounds to match her own claws. Etcetera didn't answer, but Electra covered her mouth with her paw when she aligned claw with wound. Jemima threw her arms around Cetty once more, and with a small sob, she let the reserve of strength she had been holding for everyone else fall. She was hushed by Tumblebrutus, who grabbed the three of them and hauled them, not so gently, into a nearby pipe opening.

"Someone's coming." Was all he whispered, and then the four were all dead silent. Cetty began to feel claustrophobic as the walls of the dingy pipe around her reminded her of where she had been not minutes earlier.

They all crouched, huddled together, while Jemima breathed in funny gasps as her sobs fought to take her again. And there they waited.  
But this time, no ginger cat sprang out of the gloom. No-one was snatched by a horrific ginger grasp, though the imagery crossed Cetty's mind more than she could bear. Instead, a figure walked past the entrance of the pipe with slow, alert caution.

Tumblebrutus relaxed, and began to crawl back out of the pipe.

"Would it have been too much to ask for a simple whistle or a 'hey don't panic, it's not an evil cat crime lord approaching'?" Tumblebrutus asked, with less respect than was due.

"Tumblebrutus," came the sharp reply "we are not out of the woods, yet. We do not know where Macavity has gone, and therefore caution is still needed. So therefore yes, it may have been too much trouble. Don't make me regret bringing you along."

Tumblebrutus looked guilty.

"Er... sorry Munkustrap... So... did you find Victoria?" He changed topic, hopefully. He'd done so well so far and did not want to disappoint.

"See for yourself... Where are the others?" Munkustrap's tone was lighter now. All was forgiven.

"We're here." Electra was helping Etcetera out of the drain, while Jemima announced their presence and gave her father, Munkustrap, a nuzzle. She then joined the others in looking down the alley beside them to see Alonzo, who walked beside Quaxo, who was carrying an unconscious Victoria. Her white fur was stained with a little blood. The sight caused Electra to gasp and Cetty to let one guilty tear slip. Victoria was hurt, because of her.  
She looked at Vic again, curious and worried to see where the blood had come from. There were three deep gashes along Vic's arm, not unlike those on Cetty's face. Above the wounds, a collar created a rough tourniquet. It was Munkustrap's collar, Cetty knew it anywhere.

As they approached, Cetty stepped toward Quaxo. Whilst he had his mate well supported, Etcetera felt a duty to help, and provided an extra support for Vic's head.  
Quaxo smiled.  
"Thanks, Cetty. But I'm fine. You look after yourself, ok?"  
The words hit her like a slap in the face. There was nothing in his tone to suggest he blamed her, but Cetty didn't want to look after herself! She wanted to right her wrong and look after Vic!  
She then settled for asking whether Victoria was alright.

"She's taken a hit to the head, the same as you, and these scratches are very deep. But she will heal." He replied, staring at Victoria with the love only a mate can show.

Jemima tried meekly to lighten the mood.

"Arti's gonna have a field day when she hears all of this."

Alonzo didn't seem to think the joke was in very good taste, but Munkustrap smiled gratefully and Electra nudged her and said

"Well, if it weren't for Demeter, your sister Artemis would have probably never let us leave without her! Brutus, you're lucky you could come."

Brutus pouted at her. He was surely old enough by now!  
"I was needed!" he bragged. Electra looked about to begin a childish argument, so Munkustrap, in his fatherly way, made a pre-emptive comment.

"Come on everyone, let's head home. We may just get back safely yet."

And with that, they all turned toward the track home, the familiar track like a petty guard from the danger of Macavity.


	5. Forgiven

Etcetera almost couldn't believe it. They had reached home safely.  
It had not been until they reached the old tavern near Munkustrap's house that they had run into any trouble. But even then, it was only Artemis, Jemima's much younger sister, leaping out of some bushes to trip up Electra.  
Nobody, not even Quaxo, who was busy tending to stirring Victoria, had sensed the excited kit, and the whole group had jumped several feet in the air when Artemis had come bounding out. Demeter had appeared only seconds later with an anxious and worried voice.

"Arti? Artemis?? Where are you?!" She had stopped short when she had seen the group; Artemis in Electra's arms, though she still sat on the ground where she'd fallen. Demeter rushed toward Munkustrap, her earlier worries forgotten in seeing Artemis safe.

"Oh Munku! I was so worried about you all! Are you ok?" She observed the group, gasping as she saw the blood that stained Victoria's white fur and Cetty's face. Her worries were quickly put to rest by Munkustrap.

"Relax, Demeter, they're both not as bad as they look. They're just bleeding a lot."

She sighed, and turned to Etcetera. Despite herself, Etcetera half expected Demeter to yell at her, and blame her for all that had happened. Instead, she was met with a hug, and whispers of gladness.  
Then, she nuzzled Jemima, and went to pick up Artemis, who was at Quaxo's feet, observing Victoria's lolling head. She was quickly scared away by a drop of blood that fell and dripped onto her nose. As the smell filled her nostrils she shied away and began to try and climb up Munkustrap's leg, confused and scared. Demeter sidled over and scooped up the now distraught kitten.

"Is Vic ok? Why is she bleeding everywhere?"

Munkustrap, who hid little from his youngest child, smiled at Artemis.

"Yes, she is ok, Arti. She was scratched."

Artemis, being a kitten, asked the only question Munkustrap did not want to answer.

"Who scratched her?" Arti's green eyes were wide as she studied Vic.

There was silence about the party. Answering this question would only lead to more nightmares for Artemis. Artemis had already met Macavity, and he was the only thing Artemis had learned to hate in the world.  
Quaxo suddenly looked up, and out at the bushes. Etcetera felt a twang of fear until Quaxo grinned. Perfectly, he broke the awkward silence.

"Impeccable timing." He muttered, and then, at normal volume- "Brutus? Your brother is hiding in those bushes." He indicated with his head to the small rosemary bushes he'd glanced at before. Most people would have overlooked the small patchy tom hiding within the branches. But he could not escape Quaxo's keen magical senses and now that Brutus knew he was there, it was all too easy to see him.  
Brutus strolled over to the bushes and reached in, pulling out a scruffy looking kitten with a brown patch over one eye- the opposite to his older brother's.  
Artemis recognized him at once.

"Pounce!" She cried, squirming in Demeter's grasp.

Demeter had no choice but to oblige and set the squirming kit down on the ground, where she ran over to Tumblebrutus, who was still holding up a squirming Pouncival. When Arti arrived at his feet, Brutus dropped his brother on the floor. He landed with an "OOF" on his bum, his tail hanging over one shoulder. Arti giggled and nuzzling him hello.  
She laughed "You smell like rosemary!"

He pouted at her, and the two began wrestling on the floor.

The terror dissolving under the sight of the two kittens, the whole group relaxed. All except Etcetera, who knew that after her ordeal, she too would soon bear kittens…

Macavity's kittens.


	6. Predicament

Etcetera had a problem.  
A problem among problems.  
For a start- she was carrying the kittens of the cat she hated most.

Furthermore, these kittens certainly weren't going to stay invisible for long. She had early learned to recognise the bulge of a pregnant belly, much like so many other excitable female queens her age. The other cats were bound to notice a lot earlier than she liked. There was the option of admitting it, but she knew that, whilst her friends might stick by her, there would be those that would want her out of the tribe, sure that she was on Macavity's side. She couldn't do that. She was too scared, nowhere else to call home.  
But she couldn't hide forever, either.  
What was she going to do?

Etcetera made her way home after sitting with Victoria for some time. She had offered to let Quaxo sleep, as he was weary from carrying Victoria all that way. Victoria had joked, when she'd woken, that he had let his pride get the better of him, in carrying her home, but you could tell she was grateful it was him.

Cetty sat, and bandaged Victoria's scratch, which had finally stopped bleeding so profusely. Victoria's eyelids drooped, as exhaustion and weakness took her. If Quaxo hadn't been so physically exhausted, there was no way he would be sleeping, what with Victoria so weak. But Munkustrap had assured him she would be fine, and that her blood would be replaced quickly.  
Victoria was very brave, in Cetty's opinion, as she only winced while Etcetera cleaned out and bandaged her wound. Cetty flinched when she even thought of having her scratch cleaned out, as it still stung like crazy, and her right eye watered ceaselessly. Etcetera knew she would have to have it cleaned soon, as it was beginning to itch. She was having vivid images of waking up, crying and covered in blood because she had subconsciously scratched those itches; it was too awful to contemplate.

Victoria nuzzled her in thanks and picked up the warm wet cloth that Cetty had just rinsed. Cetty looked at Victoria, and saw the intent in her eyes.

"Oh, uh, err... I'm... fine thanks..."

Victoria wasn't buying that.

"It's not as painful as it looks. SIT." She said sharply, with a determind look underneath the woozy sway.

Etcetera knew she was being foolish and sat back down, sadly. She had a lot on her mind, and decided to focus on her problems, instead.

She wished she hadn't. Victoria was right. The wound was one thousand times less painful than the memories of Macavity's body on hers that were triggered by thoughts of her kittens.


	7. Desperation

The next few months were among the hardest of Etcetera's life.  
She was at a complete and devastating loss.  
She had almost told her friends about the kittens, which grew more each day, but, upon further thought, had been deterred by the thought of Jemima's rage and hate. She couldn't do that to Jemima. Not after what Macavity had done to Arti, of what he had tried to do to Demeter, which was what he had succeeded in doing to Cetty.  
Jemima wouldn't understand. No-one would.

She was left with no option but to face everything alone…

The first weeks, Etcetera could almost reach a point of normality- where she played and laughed with Jemima, Electra and Victoria as she always had. But after that, things took the first of many downward turns.

Desperate thoughts hadn't begun to enter her mind until she first felt one kick.  
It was the softest of movements, barely noticeable, except to Etcetera's strained mind. In panic, she had beaten at her stomach with her paws until she couldn't bear the pain of it anymore. And later in the week, she deposited two stillborns, tinier than her paw. She became engulfed by a gnawing guilt that could not even be swayed by the fact that they were gone.

She had thought for only a couple of hours that day that she had done it.  
Gone for good.  
Her ordeal was over.  
But after the pain and bruising settled, she could still feel a determined kicking on her insides, and knew that there was still one of his kittens left.  
Madness fought to engulf her.  
She separated herself from her friends as the roundness of her stomach began to catch their eyes.  
She spent all her time in her home, curled up in a place where visitors could not find her, and when someone did come to call, she'd remain hidden as they called out her name.  
And then she would weep.  
Macavity had taken away her life, her dignity, and either way- he would take her friends.


	8. Understanding

There was no escape. The kitten was coming. There was nothing she could do to prevent it now. She wailed helplessly as the remaining kitten clawed her on its way out. Her cries seemed to please the newborn, as it purred with in-feline pleasure at her keen. Etcetera had never heard such an awful sound in her life. The purr was unnatural, evil, rolling like the voice of its father. A paw rested on her shoulder and before she could take any comfort from it, she looked up and saw the malicious unkempt face of red evil. Macavity smiled down on her, proud of his spawn. She turned with fear to her kitten, hoping to find some part of herself within the child. Etcetera's mouth widened in horror. The kitten was ginger, and black and white and it looked like the spawn of a demon. It opened its sunken eyes and they were a pasty yellow and filled with an evil light. They were Macavity's eyes.

Etcetera had woken from this nightmare in a cold sweat. She knew her kitten was due any day now. She had done a horrible thing. Electra, who had realised something was amiss, and had relentlessly come around to Cetty's house, and stayed, saying she wouldn't leave until Cetty came out of hiding. Etcetera had seen no other option and yelled terrible things at her until she had run out crying. Even if Electra ever forgave her, Cetty knew she wouldn't forgive herself.  
Now she was truly alone.

Etcetera was curled up in her favourite spot- the top bunk of the human daughter's bed, underneath the feather covers. Light filtered through the sheet that the daughter had put up to make a 'fort'.  
Cetty sat with her chin resting on her knees, trying to engulf her stomach. She stared blankly ahead, her mind filled with thoughts of terror at what she had done, and what this kitten would cause in her life. She could find nothing to do to escape it.

She did not hear the patter of footsteps as another cat entered the cat-flap in the next room, and into the girl's bedroom. Nor did she head the stealthy searching about the nooks and crannies of the room.  
She was too engulfed in her depression. She only noticed when she heard the sound of a cat climbing up onto the top bunk the way Etcetera normally did, and the small, worried, guilty sound;

"Cetty?"

The voice was familiar, and every hair that had been standing on Cetty's back flattened at the soothing voice of her friend Electra. The guilty tears it spurred were even a relief from the dreary repetitive fear that Etcetera was becoming accustomed to.  
Etcetera did not reply, nor move to, as she saw Electra's familiar face poke around the side of the sheet.

"Oh, Cetty..." Electra cooed. She sat and placed one paw gently on her shoulder. But Etcetera still did not move except to blink out the tears.

"I know what's going on. I figured it out ages ago... the day you yelled at me." She said, meekly.  
This caused Cetty to flinch.

"It's Ok. It's NOT your fault... You can't and couldn't help it." Electra seemed to have a hope that she had the right subject.

Etcetera slowly moved her legs and Electra covered her mouth with a gasp. Clearly she wasn't as sure as she'd let on.

"Leccy...I... I got Victoria... h-hurt..." Cetty choked, unable to talk about the kitten yet. Electra smiled forgivingly at the weeping cat. She placed a paw gently on her inflated stomach.

Leccy giggled. "Oh Cetty.... You're so silly!"


	9. Blind

Leccy was Cetty's greatest help through the last days. She stood by her, and even helped deter Jemima and Victoria whenever they tried to visit. _Without _hurting their feelings.  
But as the Jellicle Ball drew closer, even Electra couldn't calm Cetty's worries that she'd miss the ball. She couldn't do much to convince her otherwise, either, because the kitten was now going to be too young to go to the ball at all, even if she was forced to take it.  
Etcetera feared the birth of the kitten, though with Electra there, it was going to be much easier than in Cetty's visions, as Electra had managed to talk her out of her fears of Macavity turning up to receive it, thought there was little she could say to convince Cetty that it wouldn't be like him. Electra was convinced that it had spent so long inside of Etcetera that it just had to be gorgeous. Etcetera almost believed it until the night of the birth. When the pains had started, Electra had helped her walk to a nice, secluded shrub, where she had dug out a friendly hollow for Etcetera to lie in. There was no telling how long it would take, so here, they would not be chanced upon by visiting cats.

It had been a while before the pain became much, and tightness of Cetty's stomach had unsettled her. Electra did not seem to be worried in the slightest, and simply continued to pick calming lavender from the bushes around and shove it under Cetty's nose.  
The kitten had arrived shortly after the pain began to tear across her middle, and Electra had only worried then due to the wails and sobbing that overcame Etcetera  
No sooner was the kitten born than a cold horror took Etcetera. She recoiled away from the newborn kit.  
The poor little thing.  
Etcetera could not seem to see, nor be convinced that it was mainly white, she only had eyes for the ginger patches that lined its head and belly.  
It mewed, and Cetty began to shiver. She feebly kicked dust over it, not really with an aim, simply to destroy the image of ginger at her feet. Electra chided her, and began to nurse the kitten. She had no choice but to care for the kitten herself, at this point, lest it would die. She let Etcetera sob while she licked it clean of dust.  
When Etcetera's sobbing subsided to a whimper, Electra forced the kitten into the view of Cett.  
Calmer now, she was finally able to acknowledge the white of the kitten's coat. Electra suggested allowing it to feed, but Cetty merely hissed, and curled in on herself.

"I don't want him near me yet..." She tried to reason.

Electra laughed at her friend.

"Him? Why, Cetty! You have a _daughter!_" This seemed to help. Cetty pulled herself up onto her front paws, shyly peering at the little girl.

"A girl?"

"Yes, a girl" Leccy laughed, tilting the kit so Cetty could see her properly.

_mew_

_mew_

The little kit was well proportioned, and even though her ears were flat on her little head, and her eyes scrunched up tight, she was pretty. Her belly was lined by a warm reddy-ginger, if not for the paternal resemblance, quite a nice colour. Her fur was longer than Etcetera's, but soft, even by kitten's standards. She had a fluffy tail that bled from white to a gingery tip and dainty little brown tinged paws. Cetty reached over and stroked it. It didn't feel at all like she expected, not wiry or coarse like her father's fur, and it was warm, not cold like she had imagined it. She immediately loved it. Still, she was scared of it, scared of what image lay behind the tightly closed eyelids. But she loved it.

She studied the eyelids, imagining the split scenarios of them opening; to reveal her eyes, or Macavity's. She focused on seeing her own eyes, and hummed to herself the associated lyrics running through her head.

_Are you blind when you're born?_

This gave her the courage to hold her, and, gently, she took the kitten from Leccy's arms. Still stroking it, she pulled it close to drink, while Electra looked at the pair in wonder and pride in her friend for accepting it, despite everything. Then, as if to fulfill their growing bond, and Electra's joy, Cetty cooed.

"And your name, little one, is Duendei"


	10. Disownment

There were only a couple of hours left until the Jellicle Ball, and Duendei was not yet four hours old. A great relief had washed over Cetty when the kit's eyes had opened, to reveal piercing mint eyes.  
Not Macavity's.  
Not even Cetty's.  
Entirely _Duendei._  
Electra was trying to convince her to take Duendei; that she would need to be introduced to the group sooner or later.  
But Etcetera did not want to introduce her to the other Jellicles until she had a plan and a story. Electra claimed that no-one would blame her for this, but Cetty would not concede.  
After much debating, Electra finally backed off on the matter, and instead spouted ideas. Etcetera wished to have a story that kept Duendei as _her_daughter, but not Macavity's. She'd considered stray cats and begging a young male cat to agree to the story. But she was low on options, and Cetty would just not accept any idea they came up with. Not many cats out there would agree to pretend to be the father of a child that actually belonged to Macavity, and also there was some degree of devotion involved in a claim like that.  
Etcetera could only think of a couple of suitable cats; Asparagus, who Etcetera didn't really wish to be associated with in that sense, or Tumblebrutus. But Brutus was so _young_.  
She also had no wish to take his young life away from him. With a 'daughter' he would not be able to search for a queen of his own. So, without a story, Duendei could not attend the Jellicle Ball.  
But who would look after her? Electra seemed reluctant to babysit, and Etcetera was certainly not going to miss the ball!  
She scanned her memory. Who could she tell? Quaxo surely knew of this by now. He was just polite enough not to say something. But to make him miss his song? To take him away from Victoria, even for such a short time? She couldn't do that.

She was a prisoner of responsibility and she was going to miss the ball.

Sadly, a credible story for missing the ball was all too easy to come up with. Cetty was still 'sick' according to everyone else.  
Besides, Cetty just had to think; she had many other balls to go to in her lifetime. Ones she could share with Duendei. Electra admired her devotion. She was proud of her friend for finally seeing this kit for the blessing it was rather than a curse.  
Plus, Electra couldn't get enough of little Duendei. Already, the kitten was clambering over Leccy, her tight little grip serving as the claws that she could not yet unsheathe.

But for all the entertainment she provided, even Duendei would not get her through the long hours Cetty would miss of the Jellicle ball.

The torment was unbearable. She could hear the faint sounds of singing, and the Jellicle moon's beams shone down on her, beckoning her to dance. She sighed, resting her head on her paws. It felt like ages since the ball had begun.  
She sang along to the songs she could hear well enough, and played with Duendei to pass the time.  
She was chilled to the core when the sultry tones of 'Macavity: The Mystery Cat' floated over the houses.  
Even with Demeter and Bombalurina's beautiful, soulful voices, and the high but powerful voice of little Artemis where she joined in, were not enough to drive out the memories the song brought.  
Duendei was intuitive about the whole thing. Upon hearing the song, she shivered and burrowed deeper into the warmth of her mother. Etcetera grinned. But resentment crept up whenever she looked at the little kitten. Like her friend Jemima, the ball meant everything to her and Etcetera didn't know how long her willpower would hold out.

Songs dragged on, and Etcetera sang alone, sometimes weeping at this further misfortune.  
There was no real issue until the chorus of 'Skimbleshanks the Railway Cat' chimed cheerfully about the night.  
Etcetera began to do muffled actions, mimicking Skimbleshanks himself as she did in the performance. This was her _favourite_ song.  
Duendei, aroused and excited by the movements, darted into the bushes.  
She peered out from the branches with her mint eyes, and Etcetera laughed, and stared back at her hyperactive kitten. It was that moment that changed everything. The light did not change. The kitten did not even move. And neither did Cetty. But Duendei's form melted away. She disappeared!_  
And when the crime's discovered then Macavity's not there..._

Etcetera leaped back from the bush with a fearsome hiss. Duendei slunk out of the bushes with a hurt look, but all the essence of Duendei had disappeared from the tiny cat as far as Etcetera could see.  
Etcetera backed away from her child and Duendei bounded toward her frightened mother, wondering why she would not come near.  
Etcetera screeched and flicked up a large swirl of dirt at the tiny kitten.  
It collided with her, and she mewed, crumpling to the ground. Etcetera, not even swayed by the innocent cry of help, sprayed her with another covering of dust, disowning her kitten.  
And then she darted off to catch the last of the ball. Remorse would later haunt her every paw print. But not now. Now there was only the daughter of Macavity.

Duendei lay, choking on the dust that her own mother had sprayed over her.  
It was in her eyes, but she was too woozy from the blow to attempt to dislodge it. She coughed, only involuntarily, and other times, she simply lay and wheezed.  
She did not know how long she had been there. All she knew was that she wasn't going to be there much longer, by the thirst that clawed at her belly.  
A bush rustled beside her. An inherited fear took her; for a foreign noise in the bushes was a warning beacon for her. But a lithe black cat stepped gracefully out of the bushes. She slunk around the kitten, smelling the ground, tracing Etcetera's scent all about the kit, and the resemblance of the scent in Duendei's own. Duendei coughed again, and this released the tension. The lithe black cat, female, gently scooped up the white kitten and cradled her close to her chest. She dusted her off, and warmed her. Tantomile had made up her mind when she had seen Etcetera run away in fear of the tiny innocent kitten, that she would not let this kitten die. She would raise her as her own if she had to, and it seemed that this was exactly what Tantomile would now have to do. She licked the kitten's ear, tenderly, cradling her tight.  
She whispered, soothingly, to the kit "Oh little Duendei"


	11. Family

**There we go! All the chapters are edited! Make sure you tell me of any mistakes that are left (although, let me just say some are deliberate- if it makes sense or sounds good, then it's probably deliberate, but tell me anyway)  
Thanks!  
I just want to thank everyone who's read this story, because this has been my most popular story to date! **

**Hope there aren't any more mistakes, although knowing how easily I get sick of things, It will probably get edited again one day.**  
**One last thing-**  
**I DO OWN _Duendei_.**  
**I DO NOT own_ Artemis_- That gorgeous kit belongs to _AriaCloudrunner_.**  
**and I DO NOT own _CATS_- that impossibly great story/soundtrack/group of characters belongs to _ALW, RUG_, and _TSE! _**

* * *

"See? What did I tell you, Munkustrap?" Quaxo said, lacking the gloating cheer of the statement as Tantomile emerged from the shadows with the small bundle, coiled up in her arms.

"Tantomile," Munkustrap said, stepping toward the approaching the cat. "How is he?"

Tantomile smiled.

"_She_, Munku. It's female. And she's fine." Tantomile cooed, tilting the ginger and white kit into their view so they could see her delicate female features.

"She really looks like Cetty, doesn't she?" Quaxo said, stroking the soft ginger fur on her side.

"If not for the colouring, I would never believe that this was a child of Macavity's." Tantomile agreed, indicating at the vivid reddy- ginger patches across her tiny body.

"Did Etcetera name her?" Munkustrap asked, joining in the huddle of cats stroking the newborn.

"Only a second name. It's Duendei." She said, still staring at her.

"So... it's true then..." Quaxo seemed reluctant to enquire. "I... I was right... Cetty just, left her?"

Tantomile looked solemn.

"I saw it from my hiding place in the bushes near to the birthing site you foresaw. Duendei disappeared into the bushes, literally vanishing. It seems she has picked up some of her father's talents. Etcetera also noticed this and took off horrified. I... I honestly can't say I'd entirely blame her, were I in her position. But yes, she's... she's not coming back." Tantomile seemed to struggle with the phrasing of some of the comments here, choosing her words careful in relation to her emotions. Tantomile hugged Duendei tight.

"What will we do with her?" Quaxo voiced the question running through all their minds, foreseeing the risks of the exposure of her blood ties.

"I'm sure Jenny would be happy to accept another kitten to her latest litter..." Munkustrap began, but Tantomile cut him off.

"No. I wish to raise her. And besides, the fewer Jellicles that we have to relay Duendei's story to the better. Etcetera has already tried her hardest to keep this secret. Her work is not for us to undo. And Coricopat will be more than happy..." A muffled rustle interrupted their conversation. All three cats tensed and peered into the darkness. Quaxo sensed the presence before any of them could see it, and marched over the bush to haul the young cat out of the bushes.

"Tumblebrutus! It's impolite to eavesdrop!" Quaxo chided the patched tom. Tumblebrutus was a tom by definition, but still one of the youngest cats in the tribe, along with some of the others of last ball's kittens. He shyly grinned at Munkustrap and Tantomile before noticing the focus of their concern. His eyes rested on the sleeping kit's face and he stared in bewilderment.

"Who is she?" he asked, innocently.

Tantomile exchanged looks with the others before Munkustrap rested a paw on his shoulder and said kindly

"A lost kitten."

Brutus rested his paw tenderly on Tantomile's and swept her hold around so he could see the kitten better.

"She's beautiful," He sighed "...Can I hold her?" The question was hushed but eager. It took Tantomile by surprise. But she gently placed her in his gentle grasp. He folded to the ground and embraced the kitten, staring at her sleeping form in wonderment.

"She's _tiny_" he gasped.

"That she is..." Tantomile agreed. This kitten was one of a kind. It was not often that one of the tribe abandoned a kitten... despite the paternal matters. But Tantomile, and the others could not bear to see a kitten suffer. Especially not one so unfairly abandoned.

"Will she live with Jenny?" He asked, tearing his gaze from Duendei.

So many questions...

"No, she'll live with me and Cori." Tantomile replied.

Brutus seemed to consider that for a moment, but his gaze subconsciously returned to his kitten. As the night wore on, and Tantomile took Duendei home to meet her brother Coricopat, they hoped Macavity would not come looking for his took comfort in the thought that he'd not been that bold for some time. But a communal agreement was subconsciously met.  
That did not matter.  
They would deal with that should it come to pass. She was safe, for now, and they all knew, deep down, that Etcetera would one day be grateful to them for saving her. One day, when she was ready, they could be reunited, and although this would mean revealing to her the history of her parentage.  
Her legacy.

But Duendei was better off. She had a family. For now.


End file.
